Apple posts $20bn+ quarter

Apple blew past nearly all Wall Street moneymen's most optimist predictions when it announced Monday that it sucked up $20.34bn in revenues during its most recent quarter.

"We are blown away to report over $20 billion in revenue and over $4 billion in after-tax earnings — both all-time records for Apple," said CEO Steve Jobs in a prepared statement.

That "over $4 billion," to be precise, was $4.31bn — meaning that, for once at least, Jobs was being understated.

Although the iPad and iPhone have been getting all the ink recently, Mac sales soared, with Cupertino selling 3.89 million of them during the quarter, an increase of 27 percent year-on-year.

Jobs also pointedly noted that: "iPhone sales of 14.1 million were up 91 percent year-over-year, handily beating the 12.1 million phones RIM sold in their most recent quarter." iPad sales were also brisk at 4.19 million.

iPod sales were down to 9.05 million, an 11 per cent drop year-on year — but that drop was to be expected with music-playing iPhones flying off shelves. Still, you can't help but think Jobs & Co. would have preferred that the recent iPod refresh might have juiced results a bit more, well, juicily.

Apple's steamrollering of the competition appears to be continuing — and Jobs also noted that "We still have a few surprises left for the remainder of this calendar year." ®